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Inclusive STEM: Professional Development Series for Head Start Teachers in Maryland

The pilot study presented in this proposal is a collaborative effort between the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The intended outcomes of this program are to positively impact inclusion in early childhood classrooms and kindergarten readiness for children with disabilities. Consisting of a 5 day, in-person, professional development (PD) opportunity and Networked Improvement Community (NIC) meetings that are targeted to meet the individual needs of the participants, we propose a three-phase process.  Phase 1 includes targeted observations of inclusive STEM practices. Phase 2 includes a 5-day PD opportunity, planned and facilitated by UMBC and STEMIE. PD sessions will be designed to foster the participants’ engagement in inclusive STEM teaching. Phase 2 sessions will be developed based on observed needs of the participating teachers and support participants in using STEMIE resources (e.g. learning trajectories) within the scope of their own curriculum. A series of NIC meetings will be held focusing on areas of need identified by the participants to allow for collaborative problem solving with investigators serving as facilitators.  The final phase (Phase 3) will include targeted observations of participants to assess progress.

Award(s)

Funding Agency:  

University of Maryland at Baltimore

Funding Period:  

09/01/2022 to 09/30/2023

Award Amount:  

$67,944

Staff

Chih-Ing Lim, Principal Investigator
Megan Vinh, Co-Principal Investigator
Hsiu-Wen Yang, Co-Principal Investigator
Amy W. Crume, Account Manager